I discovered I had issues with gluten and wheat about 3 years ago. Being a massive fan of eating out and someone who really enjoys food, I have since made it my mission to find out where the best places to eat in London are if you are Coeliac. I'll also put up my favourite recipes and other good websites/blogs that I like. All I can guarantee is that there's no gluten here. This is a gluten-free zone. Down with gluten.

Sunday, 6 September 2009

Genius bread!!

Having just raved about Mrs Crimble's new fresh g-f loaf, I didn't think I would find anything better - at least not for a while... However, I think I have! It's a new product called Genius bread and is made by a mum who has children with allergies (according to the website, anyway!). It's only available in Tesco at the moment I think but it's well worth taking a trip to one to find it. They seem to do a brown and white loaf - I've only tried the brown so far but it's soft, squidgy and absolutely delicious - I made a PROPER sandwich to take to work for lunch last week and it was still soft and fresh after a morning in my bag - YAY!

25 comments:

I love your blog and check it regularly for updates and I got very excited to see your comments about this new bread! However, have you checked out the nutritional info? There is seemingly a very high fat content. 5.1g per white slice!!! That is 3 times the amount that my dietary (albeit it not that tasty) specials bread contains. It seems to have tasty substitues, we often end up eating alternatives stuffed full of sugar or fat!!

Just off to Stingray Cafe in Tufnell Park for a gluten free pizza! I've never been before and am quite excited. Simple pleasures!

Hi Jodie - thank you for posting!Glad you're enjoying the blog... good to know about the fat content - although, to be honest, I'm not too bothered about it as the ingredients (in the brown one anyway) all looked fairly healthy and I think the saturated fat was low?Let me know how the Stingray Cafe was - I've never been!Lizzie

I appreciate your blog and thought I'd pass along the tip to try a GF bread that my husband got from Waitrose. The brand is "Antoinette Savelli" and it is also available on Ocado.com. I really enjoy it, especially for complementing sweet things like jam or using it in French toast.

Yup - I've tried the Antoinette Saville loaf too - great for toasting as you say... only thing is, I found it quite 'eggy' and heavy - but very good as toast with lots of jam or dunked in a hearty soup in the winter!

Yup - lots of really good pasta is readily available - most supermarkets have their own-branded ones (I like Sainsbury's the best myself) and they also usually stock rice/vegetable pasta by Orgran too... so lots of choice!

Also, there are a few good Italian restaurants that do g-f pasta too - Riccardo's in Fulham, Cotto in Lambeth (just near Waterloo) and one in Covent Garden that I've completely forgotten the name of but I've posted about it somewhere on here...! Oh, and Carluccio's - which are everywhere!

I work with Dietary Specials, thought you may be interested to know that we have now launched our first gluten and wheat free fresh bread via ASDA. Would be really interested to know what people think about it.

I thought you might like to know that Trufree has got some great news for the run up to Christmas - our delicious Trufree mince pies are back (wheat and gluten-free)! They're available now in ASDA, Holland & Barratt, Dunnes in Ireland and online via goodness direct.

We're keen to get some feedback from anyone who's tried them so let me know what you think.

This is a great blog-bravo! I love reading about all the tips in London, and am especially excited to read about GF fish&chips! Haven't had them for years now! As for the genius bread, just bought some today at Waitrose and it is indeed the best GF bread I've had in England (had some amazing bread similar to it in New Zealand this summer). If you haven't already you should check out Planet Organic, who do GF foods, muffins, fresh-baked goods, and a takeaway lunch buffet where all the foods are clearly labeled as being GF, wheat free etc. I eat there often and though it's pricey it's also healthy and really fresh.

Thanks so much for posting! Glad you enjoyed the Genius bread - it's great, isn't it?!

Also - thanks for tip-off re Planet Organic - I haven't been there for ages as used to find it really disappointing but sounds like they've stepped up their game, so good to know it's got your seal of approval - will have to go back and try again!

CALLING ALL COELIACS!! My name is Kate Armstrong-Cornelius and I'm really interested in carrying out some research with people who are coeliacs. I'm carrying out some research over the next few weeks and in return for about 45 minutes of your time [on the telephone at my expense at a time convenient to you], we are offering an incentive of £20. As someone who contributes to a Coeliac community, perhaps you can help us recruit some people who are Coeliacs? [in return for an incentive too!] - please email me on kate@researchinsight.co.uk and I can send you some more information and you can get back to me stating whether you think you would like to help or not? The outcome of the project is to create a service that will aid the life of Coeliacs, so by taking part you will ultimately be helping yourself!Best wishes, Kate.

CALLING ALL COELIACS!! My name is Kate Armstrong-Cornelius and I'm really interested in carrying out some research with people who are coeliacs. I'm carrying out some research over the next few weeks and in return for about 45 minutes of your time [on the telephone at my expense at a time convenient to you], we are offering an incentive of £20. As someone who contributes to a Coeliac community, perhaps you can help us recruit some people who are Coeliacs? [in return for an incentive too!] - please email me on kate@researchinsight.co.uk and I can send you some more information and you can get back to me stating whether you think you would like to help or not? The outcome of the project relates to creating a service that will enhance the lives of Coeliacs...so by taking part, you're ultimately helping yourself! I look forward to hearing from you.Best wishes, Kate.

Hi, I ate at The Mermaid last year and was glutened. We were on vacation from the US and I ended up being sick for about 5 days. I am certain they fried my fish and chips in contaminated oil! Be very, very careful.

Hi, been reading your blog as I'm taking my son, who's a coeliac, to London next April.I've just started a blog, Gluten Free Fife, so I'll add a link to your site.It would be handy if any cafes at attractions or nearby than do GF could be listed.I tried the Genius bread, very nice toasted, but prefer Mrs Crimbles, has a soda bread taste but much harder to find.Keep blogging.

This is the first time I've seen your blog, and I thought I may add some stuff I've found recently. I've only been living in London for the last three months, so this may be old news, but maybe this could help out the Americans as well (particularly in touristy areas):

-"Muffinski's" on King St right near Covent Garden has some nice GF muffins, and frozen yoghurt. It's also up the road from www.cybercandy.co.uk, where you can get any US candy you may have been missing. It's got all the good Aussie stuff there I've been missing too. (Try Cadbury Top Deck chocolate, my American flat mate absolutely flipped for it).

-"PJ's" on Wellington St, just up the road from the Lyceum Theatre, has GF items marked on the menu, and the richest flourless chocolate cake you'll ever have.

-"Porters" English Restaurant on Henrietta St, also just near Covent Garden, has a good special GF menu, just ask.

-At Camden Markets, there's a Venezuelan food stand that does GF burger type things that are just awesome. It's in the Lock courtyard with the rest of the food on weekends, and all of the fillings (and buns) are GF except for the chicken one. It's also right near a fudge stand where all but two of the fudges are GF.

-Right across the road from Camden Lock is "inSpiral", which has a variety of vegetarian/vegan food. I believe a lot of it is GF, but I've only ever had the ice cream there, which is AMAZING! It's made from cashew nuts!! It's everything-free: gluten, wheat, dairy, sugar. But it still tastes good. www.inspiralled.net might have more info on the actual food.

-"beatroot", on Berwick St in Soho is all vegetarian too, and a lot of GF stuff, just maybe stay away from the vegetables that look to have a questionable soy-looking-sauce... I think it might have made me a bit sick one time, but everything else there was good.

-"Yo! Sushi". I've only been to the one at Harrods102 (right across the street from Harrods), but they have an allergen list that you can flick through. The marinated salmon with dill is incredible. In fact, here's the list: http://www.yosushi.com/static/downloads/YO!NutritionalBooklet.pdf

Hope this helped a little!

Also, there's this: www.lookwhatwefound.co.ukThe bolognese is genius, and the meatballs, oy. Majority of products are gluten free, and delicious.

Cheers!

PS- The British Cadbury website is absolutely brilliant with allergy listings. www.cadbury.co.uk

Keep up the great work with the blog. It is always a good read and great to make a new GF discovery.

Genius bread is a life saver. I get so excited when I make a sandwich that it is made with fresh bread and tastes great! Have also discovered that Starbucks are using Genius bread for GF sandwiches (tuna mayo and roasted tomatoes - very yummy & handy).

Also check out Brick Lane market on a Sunday, it has loads of GF stuff these days. There is a chap doing GF arancini on Brick Lane on the bridge over the East London line. In the Sunday Up Market, there is a GF stand of were also at the Allergy show. The new food market in the Truman Brewery Boilerhouse is the best bit though. Loads of different food in one place including Cornbread stuffed with black beans, beef & cheese (or other variations), Buckwheat galettes and the best bit of all, Sweetcheeks the GF cupcake stand. Amazing, beautifully made cupcakes all GF! Recommend going for the non-vegan ones and the ones which are lighter, like the strawberry, mojito, vanilla ones. I can eat a 6 pack in 2 days :)Happy chompingAnja

Hi. Just found a chain of cafes - Crussh - that have introduced an egg sandwich on brown genius bread. http://www.crussh.com/menu_details.php?menu_group=food&menu_group_id=18Very worth a try. Sounds like Starbucks are also doing a sandwich on genius bread too.